and (for better or worse) you stopped seeing DIY houses. Developers hadn’t shifted to the “slap them up as fast as you can” mentality yet. So I’d say the 80’s may be your best bet overall.

That said, there were shoddy homes and great homes built in every decade, so picking a house based on year built really isn’t a guarantee either way. Instead, look at similar homes in the area, observe how the concrete has settled, are the windows square, is the electrical and plumbing well thought out, park in the attic and look at the insulation thickness, is the drainage and grading appropriate. These are indicators of quality craftsmanship.